The stats on the MWL web site are good indicators of who the leading players are in various categories. However, they should not be considered 'official' stats.
     The stats for some teams are from the coaches or team statisticians, but many are taken from the newspaper and from parents scorebooks. Oftentimes earned runs, strike outs and walks are not reported in the paper and I am not able to get around to all of the teams to catch up.
     If you would like to help and have access to the books, or fill out a scorebook for a hobby, it is quite easy to email in the stats for one or both teams after a game. I have a short template for you to use. You can email the template to mwlnow@yahoo.com . I usually take several extra photos of reporters players.

Honest Bookkeeping

     I've been to a few games where I read the next day that a single with an error turned into a triple. That's why professional and collegiate baseball scouts have to go to games.
     Actually, score keeping is quite an art. If a batter hits a single to right and the throw goes over the cutoff man allowing the runner to get to second, is it a single and an error, or a double? The most difficult aspect is assigning earned runs. You get to judge how many runs would have scored in an inning if the defense didn't goof up.
     Assigning hits or errors is another interesting area. I like this professional scorebook keeper's definition. "Players should make the play in routine situations."

• This allows for the sun blinding right fielders eyes at Marshfield (leftfield at North) to be called a hit.
• But if an outfielder just spins around wildly on a high floater and doesn't touch the ball, it can be ruled an error.
• This allows for the rare super screamer at the third baseman being ruled a hit, unless it's between the wickets.
• This allows for a call for a hit when the infielder cant stop in mud and plant to throw. Mud isn't routine, well, maybe in Oregon.

Rosters for Score keeping

     I try to keep a current list of rosters. They come from the coaches and are highly accurate. Although, once the league season starts, I usually find a couple of players are no longer on the varsity roster or a few new players have been added. Occasionally, there are wrong numbers on the uniforms (My roster can't be wrong). Growth spurt during pre league games?   Here's a page with links to printable rosters (pdf).

Stats, Scouts & Recruiting

     Okay, so the scouts aren't pouring over the stats on these pages. Nevertheless, you should feel comfortable that your superstar will get noticed locally by both professional and college scouts. We have at least two pro scouts in the local area that I know of, and with the University of Oregon Ducks trying to complete with the Oregon State Beavers in baseball, scouting of MWL games is seen by scouts at every level, from community college, to D-1, to the pros.

     If you are hoping to hook up a college baseball scholarship for your player, I highly encourage you to coerce your player to study, study, study. Given a choice between two athletes of equal potential, schools look to grades and character. The college baseball year is long and grueling and the coaches don't have time to baby sit and bail out the kids.

     It also doesn't' hurt to have a reputation as a hard worker. Extra conditioning, good diet habits, specialized training like SPARQ's, and attending camps all catch the ear of recruiters. Here's a link to Baseball Northwest, sort of an all in one skill/conditioning improvement site run by some scouts and former professional players, including Jeff McKay.